Free Lunch
by mamika
Summary: to make Ed take a break Al asks the Colonel to do help. and he decides he could spare a moment to go to lunch with Ed. Edroy oneshot. not good summary.


the first couple I ever heard of was Ed and Roy. and I was shocked to hear about it and denied the pairing's excistance. so they were the beginning. and finally I thought I could try to write about them.

I don't know how I did, but I know it was not easy, because I lost my spellchecking when I changed Computer. so I hope you forgive the mistakes there is, I tried to trim them out to the best of my abilities.

* * *

Roy stretched leasulerly. He was finally done with work and could go home. He got up and pushed the chair neatly against his desk. He wanted his office to look good when he got there in the morning, that made him feel better. If there was a pile of paper scattered all around his desk and his chair would be not in his usual place it would bring him down. Hawkeye knew this and that was why she only started bringing the papers in after he had arrived and settled behind his desk.

And it was also good way to know if someone had been there while he was away and moved things around.

He grabbed his jacket and headed out. But he stopped dead in his track in surprise when he saw a huge armor sitting in the lobby. Seeing him the armor stood up and greeted him

"Colonel Mustang, I'm sorry to disturb you" the armor said. He mentally sighed but smiled out the outside

"It's okay. Is there something I can do for you?" he asked gently. Alphonse was totally different from Ed who always stood his ground, fought til the bitter end to get what he wanted. But Alphonse was always polite and doing his best to not get in anyone's way.

As everyone agreed, Alphonse was the better person. But still he enjoyed Ed's company more. It was refreshing to have someone bang heads with him and who screwed ranks every time he tried to make Ed do something he didn't like. and Ed actually paid no mind to ranks anyways.

Not to say that Ed would be stupid. Ed knew when he ordered something that was necessar to do and did it. But that didn't stop the guy from mocking him on the way.

He enjoyed the challenge Ed presented. And Ed was also someone who didn't shy from his presence. Even now he noticed that Alphonse kept his distance, worried that he would throw the kid out. Or punish Ed for something he did. And with his reputation as Ishval's hero, civilians also looked up to him or resented him for what he had done.

But not Ed.

He shook his head to focus back on Alphonse, who had tilted his helmet and looked at him worriedly.

"Are you feeling ill Colonel?" Alphonse asked. He smiled lobsidedly

"I'm fine. Just a long day. But you had something to say?" he was tired and looking forward to hot shower before going to bed. He watched how Alphonse shifted weight from foot to foot.

His head started hurting and he had to remind himself that he was talking to a child. Somehow Ed didn't feel nearly as young even though there was just year parting the brothers. And even thought Alphonse was usually considered more mature by the others he didn't agree. The kid was too polite, too scared and too awkward. His peaceloving nature reminded more of a child being afraid of being hated that adult trying to make things work.

But that was probably just him and his war scars and cynicism talking.

Finally Alphonse took a step closer to him and spoke in a quiet voice.

"It's about Ed"

immediately his heart started beating faster and worry pushed away the headahe. With great effort he kept the polite smile on his face

"And what has he done this time?" he asked, keeping his voice casual. Like he wouldn't care.

"It's nothing bad" Alphonse said "I'm just worried about him. He had been very preoccupied, just studying, training with me once a day and then studying. He doesn't even eat as much as he normally does"

he lifted an eyebrow

"That does sound curious. I didn't know anything could keep him from eating"

he received a nervous laugh from Al. It was clear the boy had not been amused by the little joke but he just had to try to please him. "So, what do you think I can do about it?" he asked.

He waited for Alphonse's reply and wondered idly what kind of expression the boy would be making. Maybe part of his awkwardness just stemmed from the fact that he had no body and he was overconcsious about what others thougth of him.

"I was hoping..." Alphonse started, then paused and drew in audible breath. He wondered how did that happen. He should ask it from Ed one of these days. "I was hoping that you could make him take a break"

now both his eyebrows rose

"And how am I supposed to do that? You know that once he sets his mind to something there is no stopping him"

"I don't want him to stop, I just want him to rest even for a while. Even for an afternoon or evening or just few hours"

he sighed and scratched his head.

"Fine. Tell him to come meet me tomorrow at eleven, okay?"

he literally saw how the armor lightened up

"Yes sir! Thank you!" Alphonse said and bowed at him. He waved back and then the armor hurried on his way.

He walked out after him and looked up at the sky. What had he put himself into again? Then a little grin tucked his lips. Then again it had been a while since he had seen Ed the last time. It would probably be a nice break for him too.

The next day just before eleven he heard lud thumping. He blinked few times, emerging from the file he had been reading. Then he recalled. Ed was meant to come visit him. He shook his head when he heard the usual greeting between his subordinates. The voices were cheery and he smiled briefly before hurrying to finish the file before Ed reached his room.

He was in the last paragraph when the door to his office was kicked open and Ed strolled in flopping uceremoniosly in the chair, hands in his pockets and scowl on his face.

He smirked. That was the Ed he knew. No greetings, no forced behaviour. Ed was just himself. The golden eyes narrowed when he smirked

"It's that funny to drag me here?"

he leaned back in his chair putting the file in the pile of finished work. Not like he wouldn't already know what the rest would say and even more not like Hawkeye woud find out about it.

Ed tilted his head still staring him with narrowed eyes

"Don't let me stop you from finishing your work" Ed said calculatively and also leaned back in his chair, hands emerging from pockets and crossing over his chest.

He blinked. How did Ed know?

"Oh, I'm done with it" he said and smiled brightly. Ed shook his head

"Is that so?" Ed asked slowly devilish smirk forming. He swallowed and tried to change the subject.

"Besides, I wouldn't want to keep you too long since you have something important to work on" he said. Ed lifted one blond eyebrow and his smirk showed his teeth

"I have _that_ moment to spare" Ed said.

He sighed

"Why are you so hellbend on getting me to read that?" he asked and opened the file again, quickly skimming through the rest while waiting for an answer.

"Why were you so eager to call me out here to make Alphonse bring the word?"

he kept reading the file and decided to ignore the conversation. When he was done he closed the file and tossed it back to the table

"All done. Now, what is it actually that you are working on?" he asked curious.

Ed shook his head

"Nothing much. Just trying to come up with something good for the coming valuation" Ed said lightly.

"I didn't think it would be any issue to you"

Ed shrugged

"Well, I can't really go and tell that I am trying my best to recreate philospher's stone."

"I see" he said. "How is it going?" he asked. Ed shook his head.

"I can make something out of it."

he snorted. He was not surprised by that. So he pushed himself up and rounded the table. He felt Ed's eyes following him. He looked down on Ed who was now glaring up at him. He send him a dashing smile

"Then you have time to grab a lunch with me" he stated, keeping his eyes on the golden orbs. There was a flash in them and Ed's mouth opened as if to say something but then the guy just shook his head and stood up too, shoving him back a bit.

"Fine. But you are buying" Ed said and headed to the door. He was a bit surprised by the easiness with which Ed had accepted the invitation. Ed halted at the door "You coming?" Ed asked mockingly and grinned at him. He walked up to him

"I didn't think you would agree to it that easily"

Ed shrugged

"Free lunch is always free lunch" they walked silently towards the cafeteria. Then he stopped and after few steps Ed stopped too and turned to look at him, head tilted so that the blond bangs partially covered his face. He cleared his throat

"How about we go somewhere else to eat? At this time the cafeteria is packed"

Ed looked at him sceptically before asking

"You have some place in mind?"

he took a step back

"You are actually agreeing to it?"

Ed chuckled

"I never said that"

"I have a place" he said and rolled his eyes, then turned and started heading to the exit. He heard Ed's footsteps following him. Despite the thick soled shoes it was easy to recognize Ed's steps. They were slighlty uneven and he had spend years listening to them.

Without sparing a glance at Ed he walked out of the headquarters and down the street. Only there did Ed decide to catch up on him.

But for some reason the blond didn't ask him where they were going or why he had asked him to come over. He peeked Ed at the corner of his eyes. The blond was walking with ease, back straight and steps light and graceful. As if feeling his eyes Ed turned his head to look at him and the hair floated with the movement. He had always thought that Ed had way too soft hair for a guy.

"Is there something wrong with my face?" Ed asked teasingly to tell him that he had been caught looking. So he looked Ed back

"No" he answered simply and honestly. Ed lifted an eyebrow

"You are acting strange today" Ed commented

He shrugged

"I have heard you have been acting strange lately"

Ed nodded

"So Al set this up?"

he didn't bother to deny or confirm that. Ed sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Should have known..." Ed muttered tiredly

"Would you have come had you known?"

Ed flashed a grin at him and his heart skipped a little

"Free lunch is still a free lunch" Ed said. It stung a bit but he tried not to show it. it would probabaly have been too much to ask that Ed would willingly want to spent time with him without any reason. But apparently he failed because Ed frowned "Are you okay?"

he nodded

"Yes, of course" he turned his head forward to again look where they were going but Ed grabbed his hand and pulled them both into a halt.

He turned to face Ed and for few moments they just stared each others. Then Ed's expression softened.

"You should rest sometimes" Ed said and continued walking. It took him couple heartbeats to get himself back together. He had been mesmerized by those golden eyes looking at him so seriously and deeply.

"Says you. How many times has it already been when I have seen you in hospital?"

Ed waved his hand

"And every time I have rested so I can go beat the crap out of those who got me there"

he snorted and rushed after the blond who had no intentions to wait for him.

"Where are you even going?" he asked a bit annoyed. "We should have turned over there" he said and pointed with his hand. Ed glanced him

"I changed my mind"

he gritted his teeth. He was hungry and walking around with Ed was practically eating up his whole lunch hour. And at this rate he would not get anything to eat. He opened his mouth to snap at Ed but the guy flashed him a happy grin

"I'm going to buy you a lunch"

he stopped dead in his track

"what?" he feebly asked. Ed stoppd glanced at the sky and he could see him roll his eyes before walking the few steps to him

"Free lunch is always a free lunch. And I think it's time someone gave you one"

he could only stare at the blond in front of him, mind blank. Ed reached out and touched his forehead

"You don't feel feverish" he pulled his hand back and scrutinized his face "and yet you have been off the whole day"

he shook his head to snap out of it, Ed's touch still burning his skin.

"No, it's you who have been different the whole day. It has looked like you can read me like a book"

Ed shrugged but there was the teasing smile

"Maybe I can"

Ed tugged at his hand. "But let's still go eat something before all the places are full"

he nodded and allowed Ed to lead the way.

They ended up in a nice little homely looking place. Ed walked up to the counter and said something and then walked with him to a table.

He looked down to his hands. For some reason he was feeling nervous and Ed was just staring at him, grinning

"Stop that" he growled and Ed laughed

"Finally"

he blinked

"Finally what?"

Ed chuckled

"Finally you act like you always do. I was already worried that you would turn this into boring lunch where we would not argue and try to annoy each others."

He lifted an eyebrow

"Why would I want to annoy you?"

Ed lifted an eyebrow back and just looked at him. He sighed and lifted his hands. Of course he wanted to annoy Ed to pay back all the times Ed had tried, and succeeded, to annoy him

"Fine, I give you that one. But honestly, why do you want to bicker with me and why in the world you think I would want to fight with you? Maybe I would enjoy a nice civilized lunch for exchange"

there was feral grin on Ed's lips and Ed leaned over the table, closer to him

"You can have those with anyone. And I know for certain that those can get boring. Admit it, you enjoy the time when you can actually say what's on your mind and not always consider your status, age and all that crap. You can relax with me" with a victorious grin Ed flopped back to his chair "And you like the challenge. Just like I enjoy outwitting you"

he snorted.

"Name one time you have outwitted me"

and that was how the rest of the lunch went. Later he couldn't recall what they had eaten but he recalled that it had been very good.

Then they had walked back to his office, still fighting with each others.

When they were back in his office, Ed closed the door behind him. He turned to the blond

"You can go now" he said

Ed grinned

"I know. I could have also not come here at all" Ed's eyes sparkled when he added "But I couldn't trust you making it back here without getting lost"

he glared the blond

"I have lived here for years. I know my way around"

they glared each others for a while and then Ed laughed

"Thanks. I had fun today"

He huffed and looked away from the blond. There was smile tugging his own lips. It had been fun and relaxing. And Ed's laugh nearly had made him laugh too.

"Your welcome. Thanks for the lunch"

he saw Ed nod in the edge of his vision.

"That makes us even. Equivalent exchange."

he snorted

"Not everything is alchemy" he said and looked at Ed again who was staring him intently. The eyes darkened a little

"I know" Ed stepped closer, close enough that they were nearly touching and his breath got caught in his throat. His hand nudget to touch the blond. And by the grin of Ed, it didn't go unnoticed "Some is chemistry" Ed said, leaned a bit closer before pulling away.

He had felt Ed's warm breath on his lips. His hand rose to touch his lip and he stared Ed in wonder who just looked him rigth back

"Ed..?" he said uncertain. He did not know what Ed was trying to accomplish now but if this was one of his pranks he would not like it. More to the point he was sure it would really actually hurt. Because his heart was now flapping in his chest, hope was bubling in his stomach and he was nervous. His hand was shaking when he reached out and gently, carefully wrapped a lock of blond hair around his finger. They were soft and warm. He breathed out and swallowed, then he pulled his hand back unwillingly.

He brushed his fingers together, looking at them, wondering what he had just done and what would Ed think now. Hesitantly he looked back into the golden orbs.

Ed was smiling at him.

"Let's go to lunch again"

he let the tug on his lips turn into a smile

"I would like that"

"Me too"

Ed said and turned around, reaching for the doorknob.

"good luck to the valuation"

"Nah, it's piece of cake" Ed said, not turning back to him

"How come?" he asked dumbfounded. He heard the smile in Ed's voice.

"I was inspired today" was all he got from answer.

Deciding that it would not be fair if he was the only one left wondering he hurriedly reached out, stepping to the side, he pulled Ed's face to his and just as the doorknob rattled he brushed their lips together, just long enough for it to happen and for him to put to memory how it felt.

The door opened because Ed's hand had continued to open it without any other order from his brain.

He smirked at Ed

"See you soon"

Ed blinked many times, hand on the handle and just staring at him. Then Ed's tongue came out and licked his lips. And Ed beamed, stepping out of the office. He followed Ed and stood at the doorway. He subordinates were staring at them, wondering how come neither of them were screaming murder as per usual.

Before Ed left the outer office the golden eyes met his and the blond winked.

Then Ed was gone. But all his minions attacked him, wanting him to tell what was going on, why did Ed wink and how was Ed blackmailing him to look so happy.

As usual, Ed had left him in a mess. Apparently no matter what they were to each other, they would continue trying to drive the other crazy.

He huffed to himself. There was no such thing as free lunch. Then he started yelling at hus subordinates, telling them to mind their own business and get back to work unless they wanted to get roasted.

But he was smiling on the inside. Life was not boring nor dull with Ed around.

* * *

I'm glad I finally did write something about them :)

any comments?


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